2017 ceds draftfornovmtg

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executivesummary Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy 2017 Annual Report The completion of the 2017 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Annual Performance Report is intended to provide an update of East Central Intergovernmental Association’s 2015 through 2019 Five-Year Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). The CEDS for the ECIA five-county region has been updated for the next five years, beginning January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2019 (2015-2019).

The CEDS is being utilized in the region as a playbook for engaging in a collaborative region-wide effort to raise productivity, create wealth and increase prosperity for our citizens. The CEDS is used to monitor and evaluate our long term economic goals and strategies and to coordinate the economic development activities in the region. It is the intent of the CEDS document and the process to be used as a tool for not only developing goals and strategies that guide the economic growth of the region but to track and benchmark our progress. ECIA’s full five-year CEDS can be found at http://www.ecia.org/publications/index.cfm.

The purpose of this CEDS annual report is to outline the work and achievements that have been completed over the past twelve months toward accomplishing the goals and objectives outlined in the CEDS. This report also outlines any updates and changes in the goals and objectives and any revisions to the action plan. The 2017 Annual Performance Report covers the period from January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017 and reflects work that has been done in regard to the Scope of Work for the current grant year. The following report describes the economic conditions in the region for Dubuque, Delaware, Jackson, Cedar, and Clinton Counties as well as outlines significant events and issues that have occurred over the past twelve months to shape and direct ECIA’s regional economic development planning program.

Overall, 2017 was full of economic activity in the region. This past year saw major expansion announcements from local manufactures. Edgewood in Delaware County announced the expansion of Kendrick Forest Products; Peosta saw Camso Manufacturing expand; Flexsteel Industries in Dubuque announced and broke ground on a new $28 million state-of-the-art facility; LyondellBasell, a plastics, chemical, and refining company in Clinton, announced a two year $50 million expansion; and HUSCO International in Maquoketa announced an expansion of 40 jobs. Retail expansions remained strong in the region with Dyersville announcing a new 50,000 sq. ft.

Theisen’s Home-Farm-Auto store and Dubuque announcing the opening of an Einstein Bros., Caribou Coffee, and Old Navy. Additionally, in the customer service industry, American Customer Care relocated in Dubuque and plans to add 180 jobs. The following companies added positions in 2017: Dupaco Community Credit Union – 60 jobs over the course of the next two year; Hormel – 86 new employees between October 2015 and May 2017; John Deere Dubuque Works – 45 positions; Manchester’s XL Trailers added 25 new employees; and, Camanche’s TMK IPSCO brought back 50 positions.

Specific challenges to our economy in the region include fighting the brain drain and finding workers to fill open positions while preparing for retirements that will impact every employment sector in the next five years.

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Census data shows that from 2009 through 2016, 17% of Dubuque County’s residents fell in the 65 and over age bracket, up from 15.3% in 2010.

The CEDS goals and objectives, descriptions of ECIA’s progress toward the CEDS goals, and an updated list of vital projects to achieve the goals appear in this annual report. Input was received from the CEDS Strategy Committee and the ECIA Board of Directors as well as from the public. The CEDS strategy committee periodically meets to review the CEDS goals and the progress toward meeting the goals. Input to develop this annual report was received from local community leaders, economic developers, schools, and private business.

The CEDS Committee, with input from local representation, adopted the five-year CEDS in December of 2014 and at that time, created S.M.A.R.T. Goals: Smart, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-based. In addition to the S.M.A.R.T. Goals, specific tasks have been identified; performance measures developed; a schedule implemented; and evaluation indicators created for the region. The Implementation and Evaluation Report has been adjusted to indicate projects that have been completed (BOLD type) and projects that have either been updated or added (RED type). In addition to the Implementation and Evaluation Report, the Results of the Plan have been updated. The Results of the Plan evaluates the overall activity in the job market, which is driven in part by the total economic development activity in the region. The jobs lost and gained in calendar year 2017 for the region have also been listed.

adjustmentstoecia’scomprehensiveeconomic developmentstrategy Report on Changing Economic Conditions and Adjustments Business and Industry Edgewood in Delaware County announced the expansion of Kendrick Forest Products with the purchase of a 36,000 sq. ft. building in their industrial park. They added two new business ventures, Forever Cabinets and WoodPix adding 12 new employees. Peosta saw Camso Manufacturing expand with the relocation to a new 240,000 sq ft facility and a $6.37 million investment and adding 40 new jobs. Flexsteel Industries in Dubuque announced and broke ground on a new $28 million state-of-the-art facility in Dubuque’s Industrial Center South retaining more than 200 jobs in the region. Boyd Gaming in Dubuque added 14 new positions in the spring of 2017 and plan to hire an additional 6 employees by early 2018. Boyd Gaming provides advertising services to all of its 24 casino locations. LyondellBasell, a plastic, chemical and refining company in Clinton, announced a twoyear $50 million expansion in late 2016 and into 2017 with a new multi-functional office complex. The facility will open in 2018. Latham Pool Products began work on a new facility in the Crosswroads Industrial Park in DeWitt in the spring of 2017. They moved from a location in Dix, Illinois where a fire had destroyed their facility. They will begin with 23 employees and plan to expand to 70 in the futre. HUSCO International in 2

Maquoketa announced an $85 million worldwide expansion with them adding 40 new jobs in Maquoketa.

HUSCO is a global leader in production of hydraulic and electro-hydraulic controls for the off-highway and automotive industries.

The printing business has been impacted by electronic media. A longtime Maquoketa business in the region announced their closure in March, 2017 after 31 years in business. The closure resulted in the loss of 43 fulltime jobs.

The City of Clinton, the second largest City in the ECIA region and considered one of Iowa’s 17 micropolitan areas, has continued to advocate and focus on the reuse and redevelopment of the Ashford University complex that was vacated back in 2015. City and County leaders have continued to meet and discuss plans for reuse with Clinton Community College and the three school districts in the area. The current owners have partnered with a nonprofit Asian Education Foundation to explore educational opportunities for the Asian population and attracting tuition paying Chinese students to financially support the school and also offer educational opportunities for Iowa students at a low-cost fee.

Greater Dubuque Development Corporation recently completed a 2017 Economic Indicators report for the Dubuque Labor shed area. The report indicates that from 2011 through 2016, manufacturing, healthcare, public administration, and finance and insurance services all grew by more than 10% in the volume of jobs during this time period. The largest growth by industry in that same time frame was in the Management of Companies and Enterprises with a 39% growth. Transportation and Warehousing was second with over a 29% growth for the same period.

2011–2016 INDUSTRY JOB GROWTH BY % INCREASE INDUSTRY

2011 JOBS

2016 JOBS

# CHANGE

% CHANGE

Management of Companies and Enterprises Transportation and Warehousing

565 1,863

788 2,390

223 527

39% 28%

Other Services (except Public Administration)

3,366

4,224

859

26%

Finance and Insurance

3,307

3,962

655

20%

Administrative/Support/Waste Management/Remediation Services Manufacturing

2,054

2,313

259

13%

8,305

9,101

795

10%

Health Care and Social Assistance

8,127

8,776

649

8%

Educational Services

3,147

3,328

180

6%

385

410

25

6%

7,066

7,253

188

3%

Crop and Animal Production Retail Trade Source: EMSI (QCEW Employees, Non-QCEW Employees, & Self-employed)

Retail development remained constant for the region in 2017 but not as significant growth as experienced in 2016. The Dubuque area saw the closure of Kmart in the spring of 2017. This was part of the overall Sears Holding Corp. closures of 78 Kmart stores and 26 Sears stores nationally. The Dubuque store was 104,000 3

square feet and also housed a Little Ceasers. The rise of e-commerce has been a disruptive force in the retail sector overall. Nationwide, 5300 store closing were announced in the first half of 2017. While past retail success focused on bringing people to good, future retail success will involve bringing goods to people.

Workforce and Employment The skills gap and the need for newcomers to join the region remained a priority for 2017. Great Dubuque Development Corporation completed a skills gap analysis for a seven-county region including the ECIA region and published it in late 2016. The report projects a skills gap of 2,655 workers in 60 professions by 2026. Less than 10 years from now. The definition of a skills gap is the difference between expected job openings (figuring industry growth and anticipated retirements) and the estimated number of people who could fill those positions. Many of the jobs that will be toughest to fill will not require a college degree but rather trade school or other specialized training. An important message that is being conveyed to area employers‌we cannot fill the skills gap with families currently residing in the region. We need people and families not currently residing here to relocate and join the workforce in our region.

Recent government data suggest that senior members of the workforce are becoming a broader trend nationwide. The Bureau of Labor Statistics show that 19 percent of the U.S. population age 65 and older are still working. That is the highest percentage since 1962. The figure for Dubuque County is even higher where 21 percent of the 65 and older population remains in the workforce.

Source: Dubuque Telegraph Herald

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The Chart below represents the projected working age population in the region up to age 85 out to the year 2026. All data is from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Population Estimates and the U.S. Census Bureau of Labor Statistics current Population Survey.

PROJECTED WORKING AGE POPULATION

The data above indicates a trend where people will have to remain in the workforce at an older age from ages 65+ to fill the employer demands and meet economic needs out to the year 2026.

Included in the Greater Dubuque Development’s 2017 Economic Indicators report for the region, the fastest growing occupations from 2011 to 2016 are packers and package handlers with a 28% growth rate; Industrial Truck and Tractor operators at 34%, CNC operators with 33%; registered nurses at 21% increase and team assemblers at 15%.

FASTEST GROWING OCCUPATIONS BY % INCREASE 2011–2016 OCCUPATION

# CHANGE

% CHANGE

Registered Nurses

247

21%

Team Assemblers

200

15%

Nursing Assistants

140

20%

Packers and Packagers, Hand

131

28%

Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators

116

34%

Postsecondary Teachers

110

26%

Clergy

106

67%

Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators, Metal and Plastic

98

33%

Office Clerks, General

97

7%

Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food

93

8%

Source: EMSI (QCEW Employees, Non-QCEW Employees, & Self-

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While the region has experienced growth in number of occupations and there is a demand to fill open positions, incomes of the working families have not always kept up with the growth. The United Way of Iowa published a report in 2017, “ALICE…Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed”. This term was developed to define households that despite being employed, earning more than the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) still do not earn enough to afford the five basic household necessities of housing, childcare, food, transportation and health care. According to the United Way Report, in Iowa, there are 233,027 ALICE households, while another 148,239 households live below the poverty level. In total 31% of Iowa households earn below the ALICE Threshold. 28% of senior households in Iowa qualify as ALICE. The United Way report measures what it actually costs to lie in each county in Iowa; calculates how many households have income below that level; and offers an enhanced set of tools to describe the impact of financial hardship on them and their communities. Below is a snapshot of what ALICE looks like in Delaware, Dubuque and Clinton Counties:

Clinton County, 2014

Delaware County, 2014 Total HH

% ALICE & Poverty

Colesburg

150

29%

Delhi

216

34%

Earlville

320

22%

Edgewood

377

48%

Greeley

114

32%

Hopkinton

276

39%

Manchester

2,201

38%

162

37%

Town

Ryan

Town Calamus

Dubuque County, 2014

Total HH

% ALICE & Poverty

165

30%

Camanche

1,939

32%

Charlotte

141

26%

Clinton

11,239

39%

De Witt

2,153

30%

Delmar

205

26%

Grand Mound

208

32%

Lost Nation

176

48%

Wheatland

246

35%

% ALICE & Poverty

Town

Total HH

Asbury

1,559

9%

Cascade

862

29%

Dubuque

24,025

36%

Dyersville

1,756

28%

Epworth

686

15%

Farley

568

16%

Holy Cross

166

39%

New Vienna

214

28%

Peosta

477

20%

Worthington

160

22%

Agriculture The trend continued from last year into 2017… a trend supporting farmland values is that there are fewer farms for sale since many owners sold when values where high. (source, Des Moines Register, Sept. 2016). In 2017, farmland values began to increase again due to the limited supply which has outweighed the concerns about low corn and soybean prices that drive income from land. The ECIA region has seen land values increase from 1.1% up to 5.7%. These increases are the first since when land value was at the all time high.

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Farmland values in the ECIA region vary from $7,171/acre in Jackson County; $7,603/acre in Dubuque County; $8,506/acre in Delaware County; $8,916/acre in Clinton County; and to the high of $8,858/acre in Cedar County. The State average is $8,171/acre. Three of the five ECIA counties per acre average are above the State average. (AcreValue by Granular, www.acrevalue.com) Freight Study ECIA has partnered with Blackhawk Hills Regional Council, the Economic Development Administration, the Iowa Department of Transportation (IADOT), the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Dubuque Metropolitan Transportation Study (DMATS) and the Region 8 Regional Planning Affiliation (RPA) to conduct and eight county freight study for the ECIA region and four counites in Illinois. The study began in early 2017 and will be completed in the Spring of 2018. The objective of the eight county freight study is to develop a better understanding of the multimodal freight system in the region and to use that information to better inform policy and programming decisions. The efficiency of the transportation system affects the competitiveness and growth potential of the Region. In order to enable the competitiveness of existing, as well as attract new business, the Region must understand how the freight transportation system is linked to the local economy, identify needs on the transportation system and define opportunities to improve freight transportation in local planning and policy decisions.

Key Industries and their outputs have been identified for the region including the commodities that flow in and out of the region. terms of specific commodities, bulk cereal grains (such as corn) are the number one commodity by tonnage (18 percent), and machinery is the number one commodity by value (eight percent).

The figure below provides a visual of the top ten commodities by tonnage and value. As a result of these local industries, in 2014, the Region’s freight system carried 67.3 million tons of freight worth $50.4 billion. The most commonly used mode, truck, carried 73% of the region’s freight by tonnage, and 82% of its freight by value. While trucks carry the majority of the freight in the Eight County Region in terms of both value and tonnage, the Region also has extensive rail lines and major barge facilities. Rail carried the second largest tonnage (23 percent), and multiple-mode shipments (such as truck to barge or truck to rail, or containerized shipments), carried the second largest share of value (10 percent). In terms of specific commodities, bulk cereal grains (such as corn) are the number one commodity by tonnage (18 percent), and machinery is the number one commodity by value (eight percent). The figure below provides a visual of the top ten commodities by tonnage and value.

Freight System Tonnage (left) and Value (right) by Commodity (2014)

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One area of concern brought out early on in the freight study was the shortage of skilled workers required to meet the demands of the potential employers. A shortage of skilled employees in the transportation and logistics industries is especially relevant to the Region’s freight system, since these industries directly facilitate freight movements. A lack of employees in transportation and logistics could reduce the supply of services like trucking, which may result in higher transportation costs, and less competitive conditions for Regional firms.

Freight-related industries are industries that rely heavily on the shipment of physical goods to support their operations. These industries include natural resources (agriculture and mineral extraction), manufacturing, retail, construction, transportation, and warehousing. Many of these industries, particularly, natural resources, agriculture, and transportation are often location-dependent (agricultural fields, mines, railroads, and rivers cannot be moved like factories), and thus they are reliant on the performance of the freight system to remain competitive. Freight-related industries as a whole are especially relevant to the Region because they employ about 77,600 people, or almost 50 percent of the Region’s workforce.

Industry

Figure 2-9: Freight-Related Employment Workers

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining

Percentage of Total Workforce

6,196

3.9%

Construction Manufacturing

9,410 29,308

5.9% 18.5%

Wholesale trade Retail trade

4,143 20,726

2.6% 13.0%

Transportation and warehousing, and utilities Total

7,831 77,614

4.9% 49%

Source: CPCS Analysis of 2015 American Community Survey Data, US Census Bureau.

The freight study has also provided the region with important information regarding commodity flows. The region has handled approximately 67.3 million tons of freight, worth approximately $50.4 billion dollars, as inbound-outbound-internal movements, including both domestic and international freight. Both tonnage and value flows are extremely balanced between inbound and outbound directions. The tonnage and value moving within the Eight County Region is a very small share of total movement, indicating the Eight County Region economy is largely “outward facing.”

Total Eight County Region Tonnage (left) and Value (right) by Direction

Inbound, 30,346,362 , 45%

Internal,

Internal,

1,496,442 , 2%

$621,176,364 , 1% Inbound,

Outbound, 35,489,245 , 53%

$25,314,110,751 , 50%

Source: WSP Analysis of FHWA Freight Analysis Framework version 4 (FAF4) data.

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Outbound, $24,476,752,362 , 49%

In 2014, the top five Eight County Region tonnage commodities were cereal grains, fertilizers, gravel, other agricultural products, and coal. The study has provided projections for year 2045 that will enable the region to prepare for growth and address any potential barriers. In 2045, the leading tonnage commodities are forecast to be cereal grains, fertilizers, gravel, other agricultural products, and non-metallic mineral products.

Eight County Commodities Ranked by 2045 Forecast Tonnage

Source: WSP Analysis of FHWA Freight Analysis Framework version 4 (FAF4) data.

In 2014, the top five Eight County Region value commodities were machinery, unknown/mixed commodities, motorized vehicles, other agricultural products, and other foodstuffs. In 2045, the leading tonnage commodities are forecast to be machinery, unknown/mixed (generally consisting of higher-value goods shipped in intermodal containers or truck vans), pharmaceuticals, motorized vehicles, and electronics.

Eight County Commodities Ranked by 2045 Forecast Value

Source: WSP Analysis of FHWA Freight Analysis Framework version 4 (FAF4) data.

This forecast lays out a set of baseline expectations and lists opportunities for the region. There are opportunities to capture anticipated growth, and possibly drive faster growth. There are also risks related to transportation capacity and performance within the Eight County Region and its partner trading regions, as well as risks associated with the larger US and global economy.

Leading opportunities are: •

Build on core strengths in established commodity groups (cereal grains, fertilizers, gravel, other agricultural products, machinery, mixed goods, motorized vehicles, and other foodstuffs) and prepare to accommodate growing transportation needs associated with these commodities.

•

Look to capture emerging fast-growing commodity groups (pharmaceuticals, precision instruments, plastics/rubber, and other known economic development targets) by providing sufficient and attractive (safe, reliable, cost-effective) freight transportation options and services.

•

Focus – first and foremost – on truck corridors and connections linking the Eight County Region to the remainder of Iowa and Illinois. These are critical for today’s most important commodities, and for the commodities that are expected to see the most growth in the future.

•

Maintain and enhance other modal options – including rail, water, and airport connections – and evaluate the potential for intermodal service improvements to best serve the region.

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Housing, Homeownership and Construction Permits In the City of Dubuque, the number of building permits in 2016 (1,561) picked up from 2015 (1,456) but did not come close to the level they were in 2014 (1, 661). Valuations were down by $22,990,915.11 between 2014 ($113,205,469.88) and 2016 ($90,214,554.77). Single family new construction permits shot up to 104 in 2016 from 77 in 2015. They were at 100 in 2014.

Housing remains a priority for the entire region. Specifically, workforce housing for median income households.

In the southern portion of our region, specifically Clinton and Camanche, there are 4% fewer properties listed for sale than in 2016. However, 483 properties sold this year which is up 11% from the 434 properties the previous year. The average sale price also increased by 9% but is still relatively low at $98,800. The City of DeWitt listing inventory also decreased by 7% but they experienced a 3% increase in number of properties sold.

The average sale price of a home in DeWitt is $166,700 and has increased by 10% from $152,200. In Dubuque, there are 8% fewer listings than last year with 382 listed last year at this time and currently there are 352 listed for sale. There was a 12% increase in the properties sold over last year and the average sale price of a home increased by 4% with the average now at $179,900. The region is experiencing the same trends as the national trends where there is more of a demand for housing but less number of homes on the market, therefore, driving the price up.

The region has seen an increase in the foreclosure rates in Clinton over the summer months of 2017. However, the rate has not reached the same level as the high in October, 2016. Clinton’s foreclosure rate is higher than the State and national average. To address the issue, Clinton is applying for a pilot CDBG program through the Iowa Economic Development Authority, to operate a gut rehabilitation revolving loan fund. Foreclosed units will be purchased by the City and donated to a private non-profit for rehabilitation and then sold to buyers at a reduced rate providing for affordable homeownership housing opportunities. After the property resells, a portion will be returned to the non-profit for future development.

Total number of foreclosures broken down by type of filing.

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evaluationofprogress CEDS Goals and Measurable Benchmarks The S.M.A.R.T. goals for the region were adopted with the ECIA 2015-2019 CEDS. Progress toward these goals is highlighted in the attached appendix based on the performance and benchmarks outlined in the five-year CEDS. The CEDS Strategy Committee and the ECIA Council reviewed the goals and did not adopt any changes for 2017.

The document was made available for public comment in late November and December 2017. Please see the Appendix for an illustration of the progress toward achieving the goals below through 2017.

1.

Skilled Workers: Improve the quantity and quality of the region’s workforce to address employer demands Advanced Manufacturing; Healthcare; and Professional, Scientific, Technical Services by expanding the number of participants in regional training programs by 10% and increasing the number of trained skilled employees in these sectors by 10% by January 2020.

2.

Transportation Infrastructure: Improve highway and bridge transportation infrastructure funding to attract, retain, and expand business in the region by increasing the State and Federal funding to the region by 10% by January 2020.

3.

Housing: Increase the number of workforce rental and single-family housing units in the region by 2% to accommodate the industry demands by January, 2020.

4.

Community Development: Enhance community and public facility infrastructure and increase access to community services and amenities to meet the demands of regional employers and their employees by increasing the number of public and private funds to the region by 5% for January 2020.

5.

Business Development: Remain economically competitive by retaining businesses, encouraging expansion, and attracting new industry in the region by increasing SBA and RLF loan activity by 10%; increasing annual business retention calls to regional employers by 5%; increasing the total regional labor force by .5%; increasing commercial construction by 10%, and increasing entrepreneurial start-ups by 5% total by January 2020.

Note: The base data was collected for January 1, 2015 using the most recent data available through Stats America, Census, Assessors office and internal data. Annually data will be collected as a benchmark for progress as part of the CEDS Annual Reporting requirements to track regional progress. Data can be found in the back of this document in the Appendix.

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evaluationofprogress(continued) ECIA 2017 Annual Scope of Work and Measurable Progress On the following pages is the 2017 Scope of Work that was submitted with the 2015 CEDS Annual Report. The report on the following pages outlines the scope of work progress.

A. LOCAL GOVERNMENT MEETINGS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROUP MEETINGS: ECIA staff regularly attends meetings of local governments and local economic development groups to provide information and facilitate program implementation.

1. ECIA participates and sits on the Board of the Greater Dubuque Development Corporation and attends their regular board meetings at least quarterly.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. Staff attended four Greater Dubuque Development Corporation Board meetings in 2017. The ECIA Executive Director is on the Board of Directors and attended their regular board meetings. Attending the meetings maintains relationships with local businesses and with Greater Dubuque Development staff and keeps ECIA involved in economic development priorities in the Dubuque area.

Difficulties There were no difficulties encountered.

2. ECIA facilitates a county-wide economic development group in Clinton County and will participate in at least six meetings this year.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. ECIA staff attended 10 meetings Clinton County Coordinating Council in partnership with State Senator Hart in 2017.

Difficulties No difficulties encountered.

3. ECIA facilitates a county-wide Mayors group in Clinton County and will participate in at least four meetings this year.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a.

ECIA staff hosted the Clinton County Mayors group and facilitated six meetings in 2017 with the Mayors. The meetings have resulted in Clinton County partnering with Keep Iowa Beautiful Home Town Pride 13

program and hiring a full-time coach to assist the communities in pursuing economic and community development programs and activities. ECIA sits on their Keep Iowa Beautiful Hometown Pride steering committee and will continue to meet with the mayors and the community representatives six times per year.

Difficulties Attendance at important meetings and trainings, and requests for input on agendas and opportunities is still difficult to obtain. One difficulty is getting the mayors from each community to attend the meetings regularly.

Most mayors in small communities have other full-time jobs and have difficulty finding time to add another meeting in their schedule but those that have attended have found the meetings to be very beneficial. ECIA had to work closely with all communities and the Clinton County Supervisors to raise the local match for the Keep Iowa Beautiful program to hire the coach and had to assist with the interviewing process.

4. ECIA staff regularly hosts and participates in City Clerk meetings in Delaware, Dubuque and Cedar Counties.

ECIA hosts one annual meeting a year of the regional city clerks.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. ECIA hosted one regional City Clerk meetings and provided training and speakers on relevant topics pertaining to city business. The group decided once a year was sufficient and that is why the second one was not held. b. ECIA staff attended nine Delaware County Clerk meetings in 2017, four Dubuque County Clerk meetings, and two Cedar County Clerk meeting. The meetings with the Clerks were all well attended and beneficial for everyone in attendance. The meetings serve as both networking meetings and educational sessions. Several speakers attend the regional meeting at ECIA and presented on topics such as planning and zoning resources, health insurance for small communities, derelict and nuisance properties, public records and cyber security, and water and sewer rates.

Difficulties No difficulties encountered.

5. ECIA staff regularly attends and acts as the secretary for the Jackson County Mayors. Meetings are held monthly in Jackson County. ECIA attends and participates in the Mayors monthly meetings in Cedar County.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. ECIA Staff attended four Jackson County Mayors meetings and provided speakers for each meeting.

Staff attended and took the minutes for all of the Jackson Mayors meeting this past year. ECIA staff prepared agendas and arranged for speakers at each meeting. Speakers included capital improvement planning, water/wastewater resources, etc.

Difficulties 14

One difficulty is getting the mayors from each community to attend the meetings regularly. Most mayors in small communities have other full-time jobs and have difficulty finding time to add another meeting in their schedule but those that have attended have found the meetings to be very beneficial.

6. ECIA staff will continue with regular roundtable discussions within each county in 2017 on an annual basis with ED groups, Clerks, Mayors and Boards of Supervisors to discuss potential projects, needs for their county, etc.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. ECIA staff hosted three meetings with Cedar County communities and economic development entities to pursue a Great Places designation. ECIA partnered with the University of Iowa Sustainable Communities program and Cedar County to begin an update to the county-wide Comprehensive plan that has not been updated since 1981. In addition to the Comprehensive Plan, ECIA is also participating in public input meetings and working with the University of Iowa to develop a Great Places vision plan.

ECIA staff have worked closely with the City of Maquoketa and Jackson County Economic Alliance in 2017 and held several meetings with to discuss workforce housing needs and a downtown revitalization program.

Difficulties It is difficult to get communities to move forward with implementation after these meetings. We have partnered with University of Iowa Sustainable Communities program to assist in the work and it has helped.

7. ECIA staff participates in the Tri-State Alliance regional partnership and will be focusing on a freight study in 2017. The entity focuses on furthering economic development and transportation in the tri-state region of Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin. ECIA staff expects to participate in at least four meetings this year.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. This year the eight-county freight study was initiated and will conclude in the spring of 2018. ECIA was also awarded an EDA technical assistance grant to assist with the economic development piece of the study. We have had 4 meetings with the consultant and all project partners and businesses in the region and have had monthly conference calls with the consultant. The project is moving along on schedule and has uncovered a great deal of valuable information. We have had 4 technical reports completed to date and submitted by the consultant for the partners to review and provide comment on. The consultant is also working on regional profiles for the transportation system that will be valuable for our economic developers to utilize with their businesses.

Difficulties A major difficulty is getting large companies to participate in the study with their busy schedules. We have decided to make meetings short, to the point, and either in face or via phone or skype so we get all the key people involved in study discussions. We have also made an attempt to move the meetings around the region 15

to make it easier for those traveling to the meetings. We also do not believe the economic development partners totally understand the importance or significance of the study. We continue to try and educate them.

8. ECIA holds six meetings a year with Prosperity Eastern Iowa local economic developers. ECIA provides staff for their regional economic development efforts.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. ECIA staff hosted six Prosperity meetings, a strategic planning session, as well as several training sessions on various topics such as; multigenerational workforce, succession planning, personnel policy, capital improvement planning, the use of Tax Increment Financing, business retention and workplace culture. b. Prosperity Eastern Iowa hosted a legislative dinner. The topics discussed at the dinner included successful uses of TIF, IPER’s retirement and quality of life in rural areas. c. Prosperity Eastern Iowa in conjunction with Iowa works staff hosted a workplace event that addressed employment issues for Cascade businesses. There is a group forming out of the event comprised of the schools, local community colleges, ECIA, employers and the local economic development group.

Difficulties ECIA staff did not experience any difficulties with the above events; however, getting good attendance numbers always is a bit challenging.

9. ECIA ED staff to meet with GDDC staff on a monthly basis to discuss local and regional ED projects related to retention and expansion of local businesses.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. ECIA staff attended the GDDC monthly meetings on a regular basis and this year attended 12 monthly meetings. b. One new loan and one grant application resulted from the meetings.

GDDC information sharing has resulted in new loan applications and funded loans for Business Growth, Inc. Information sharing has resulted in improved communication and better services to the businesses.

Difficulties The loan services that ECIA provides fills some of the business needs, but not all. There is a lack of equity capital for young businesses starting up or growing quickly in the region.

10. ECIA staff participates in the Start-Up Dubuque quarterly meetings with the Small Business Development Center, Greater Dubuque Development, and ECIA Business Growth to discuss entrepreneurial activity in the region.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables 16

a. ECIA staff participated in one Start-Up Dubuque monthly meetings and participated in the organizational board development meetings. Start-up Dubuque has established an active steering committee and a separate advisory committee comprised of business leaders and entrepreneurs. They meet regularly and are ready to work with their first start-up businesses.

Difficulties An initial challenge for Start-Up Dubuque is identifying new start-up businesses in the area and outreaching to those businesses and getting them to come in and utilize the services. Another issue is the lack of equity capital for young businesses. Additionally, the local SCORE chapter has been non-committal to the start-up partnership which is frustrating.

11. ECIA staff participates in the Parks to People Community and Economic Development initiative in Jackson, Dubuque and Jones Counties. This group meets at least every other month and ECIA provides staffing support for their efforts.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. ECIA staff assisted with the sustainability plan to maintain staffing for the Grant Wood Loop initiative.

ECIA staff and Jackson County Economic Alliance partnered with the Keep Iowa Beautiful Hometown Pride program and were able to secure $75,000 a year for 5 years to employ a coach or coaches. ECIA and JCEA staff are acting as the coaches for the initiative. ECIA and JCEA also worked with the communities in the threecounty region and the three counties to secure the local match for the program. This is the first ever regional Keep Iowa Beautiful Hometown Pride Program.

Difficulties No difficulties were encountered just a lot of meetings and discussions to get this partnership to materialize and become a reality.

12. ECIA staff participates in the City of Dubuque’s Project Hope meetings. The group is focused on defining poverty in the Dubuque area and finding solutions to the barriers that people experience in finding and maintaining long term employment. The group meets monthly.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. ECIA/IowaWORKS staff attended all of the scheduled Project HOPE meetings in 2017. This group continues to identify workforce issues in the community and discuss success model strategies for the recruitment, assessment, career development, education, training, and job placement of unemployed and underemployed individuals. In addition, they utilize several local and state initiatives such as Opportunity Dubuque, Re-engage Dubuque, Future Ready Iowa, Home Base Iowa, Skilled Iowa, Sector Boards, and Career Pathways.

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b. Project HOPE has developed a Targeted Workforce Strategy diagram for the local collaboration of education, economic development, and workforce partners aimed at sharing customers, services, and outcomes. This model documents intake, outreach, referrals, interdisciplinary teams, and career exploration leading to the establishment of an individual development plan supplemented by additional services such as soft skills, work-based learning, adult education and literacy, and/or Getting Ahead. It has expanded the Opportunity Dubuque initiative to provide additional supports for those individuals with barriers that need to be addressed before they are job ready. In addition, it has created a better opportunity for leveraging resources provided by Dubuque Works, ECIA, and NICC, as well as, enhancing partnerships with Circles, Fountain of Youth, Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services, IowaWORKS, NICC, Promise Jobs, Re-engage Dubuque, and other community partners.

Difficulties The Career Pathway Map continues to be a work in progress since it requires extensive coordination to be effective especially the establishment of interdisciplinary teams that are comprised of staff from various agencies working toward a common participant goal and providing supports that move the individual toward achieving self-sufficiency.

13. ECIA staff participates in the DubuqueWorks, Opportunity Dubuque, and the Re-Engagement Center committees. The three groups are focused on workforce solutions for the Dubuque area. The groups meet monthly and quarterly.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables ECIA/IowaWORKS staff attended all of the scheduled Dubuque Works meetings hosted by Greater Dubuque Development Corporation. Dubuque Works continues to focus on employment issues and collaborates on the Opportunity Dubuque and Targeted Workforce Strategies local initiatives. ECIA/IowaWORKS staff attended all of the scheduled Project HOPE meetings hosted by the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque. Project HOPE partners on the Dubuque Local College Access Network, Coaches Peer Learning Network, and Re-engage Dubuque local initiatives.

Difficulties We continue to look for funding to keep the initiatives moving forward.

B. TRAINING AND CONFERENCE: Attend and participate in meetings of national, state, and local organizations affecting regional strategy policies and programs.

1. ECIA staff will continue to participate in the annual trip of the Clinton and the Dubuque communities to meet with federal officials concerning local needs. Trips are scheduled for February and May, 2017.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables 18

a. Clinton did not travel to Washington D.C. in 2017. ECIA staff attended the Clinton Days in Des Moines at the Capitol in February 2017 and also attended the Highway 30 Coalition meeting in May of 2017. ECIA staff attended the Dubuque Washington D.C. trip in March, 2017 but did not go to the Capitol events. Staff attended the meetings with Federal Departments related to programming and funding.

Difficulties It becomes more and more expensive each year to attend the Washington D.C. events. Unless there is more content than the meetings with legislative staff, we are not sure we can continue to budget for the Dubuque Washington, D.C. 2. ECIA staff will attend the Iowa League of Cities meeting.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. Three ECIA staff attended the Iowa League Meeting in September 2017.

ECIA staff attended meetings on Public Libraries as Economic Engines, The Fundamentals of TIF, Historic Downtowns, Expanding Broadband in Communities, Fundraising, Wastewater Infrastructure Needs, Nuisance Abatement Tips and Tricks, etc. This information is valuable to ECIA’s every day work and can be used with our member governments.

Difficulties No difficulties were encountered.

3. ECIA staff will attend Iowa DNR meetings in Des Moines.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. The ECIA Municipal Relations Coordinator usually attended the Iowa Brownfields Workshops across the state in the spring and fall. The person that had this position left ECIA in late December 2016 and the new person has not attended any Iowa DNR meetings in Des Moines but stays in regular contact with the agency throughout the year.

Difficulties No difficulties were encountered.

4. ECIA staff will attend regional meeting hosted by the EDA. Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. Executive Director attended a meeting at the Iowa Council of Governments with the Midwest Regional Director from Denver to discuss EDA priorities with the Iowa EDA Districts. The meeting was in May, 2017. The Executive Director attended a CEDS regional training in Kansas City in October, 2017.

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Difficulties There were no difficulties encountered.

5. ECIA staff will attend two national meetings - either NADO, NARC, NADCO or the IEDC meetings.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a ECIA’s Executive Director attended the National Association of Development Organization’s Annual meeting in September, 2017. b. ECIA’s Transportation Director attended the Rural Transportation Annual Conference sponsored by the National Association of Development Officials in July of 2017.

The annual conferences provide great networking opportunities and opportunities to hear national speakers and best practices in housing, community and economic development and planning. Staff are able to bring back best practices and new ideas to be implemented in the ECIA region.

Difficulties We continue to budget for these meetings as the budgets allow and hope that we can continue to attend as budgets become tighter and tighter every year. Professional development is important to keep staff up to date on new trends and best practices and fresh with ideas that can be implemented in the region.

6. ECIA staff will attend training to become familiar with "green" and sustainable business practices that can be introduced to Buyer Supplier companies and member governments.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. ECIA Executive Director and Housing Director attended the City of Dubuque Sustainability Conference in October, 2017. b. ECIA Regional Economic Development Coordinator and Transportation Director participate on the City of Dubuque’s air quality committee.

Difficulties There were no difficulties encountered.

7. ECIA staff will attend training related to local government finance and municipal finance.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. The ECIA Municipal Relations Coordinator usually attended these meetings across the state. The person that had this position left ECIA in late December 2016 and the new person has not attended any meetings.

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Difficulties No difficulties were encountered.

C. INFORMATION DISSEMINATION: Disseminate census, economic, statistical and program information by telephone, e-mail, letter, newsletter, personal contact, and training programs. Maintain a database for use in program development and implementation.

1. ECIA staff prepares six newsletters each year that is emailed out to over 800 individuals and/or entities in the region and archived on our website.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. ECIA staff sent out six newsletters via Vertical Response in 2017 to our member governments and mailing list.

Newsletters remained available on the ECIA website for anyone to access that visits the website. The newsletter covers pertinent stories and examples of best practices from around the region as well as news highlights and important events. b. ECIA staff emailed out 12 Grant Alerts in 2017 to our member governments and mailing list providing up to date information on grant programs and deadlines related to private, State and Federal grant programs.

Six newsletters and 12 grant alerts were distributed to over 800 people on the mailing list. This outreach keeps ECIA in touch with our member governments and provides information on best practices in the region and opportunities for programming and funding. c. ECIA staff developed a Community Resource Funding Guide as a free resource for groups to access for grants for community projects.

Difficulties No difficulties were encountered.

2. ECIA staff maintains the websites for ECIA, Prosperity Eastern Iowa, the Regional Transit Authority, and the Eastern Iowa Regional Housing Authority/Corporation and the Eastern Iowa Regional Utility Service Systems, Buyers Supplier Connection, Petal Project, Dubuque Metropolitan Transportation Study, and Accessmyfuture.com.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. ECIA Staff updated pages and content for all of the ECIA websites. b. ECIA Staff are in the process of redesigning the main ECIA website which will go live in 2018.

Difficulties 21

No difficulties were encountered.

3. ECIA staff responds to approximately 150-200 requests for information each year pertaining to grant applications, TIF districts, enterprise zone, city finance, business loan programs, ordinances, etc.

Accomplishments Quantifiable Deliverables a. ECIA staff from all departments regularly take calls and emails from our member governments and economic development partners and provide technical assistance related to their questions. Staff responded to over 200 inquiries in 2017 with topics varying from code enforcement, derelict buildings, nuisances, budgeting, zoning, grants, downtown redevelopment, and transportation.

From the inquiries ECIA is able to gain additional contracts for work with our communities. We have worked on numerous city codes and ordinances related to inquiries from our member governments.

In 2017, staff developed a Google form, for staff to use to record information from these calls to disperse to other staff for follow up.

Difficulties There were no difficulties encountered.

4. ECIA staff participates in local, regional and national meetings discussing programs, projects and successes in our region related to economic and community development.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. ECIA staff hosted Iowa State University staff from the Center for Industrial Research and Services to discuss partnership opportunities in the future. b. In 2017, ECIA wrapped up its third year of a three year USDA Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) grant to offer trainings in the region to build the capacity of our member communities in the areas of community development, social media, economic development, housing, grant writing, board and commissioner training, LEAN, solar, personnel policy training, administrative law, nuisance abatement, Finance 101, etc. We have utilized this funding to expand our efforts of outreach to our communities and to compliment the work we do with our EDA planning grant. We were also able to do more one-on-one trainings with targeted groups in our communities. c. In 2017, ECIA received notice that we were successful in securing another USDA RCDI grant to offer trainings in the region to build the capacity of our member communities in the same areas as above.

Difficulties The training events were successful and very beneficial for recipients of the USDA grant; however, it was a challenge to accommodate everyone’s schedules, so attendance was not what ECIA staff had hoped for at some of the training events. In addition, obtaining surveys after the training event was difficult at some events. Some 22

of the members also thought they were getting bombarded with too many trainings so we regionally diversified the events.

D. GRANT/LOAN APPLICATIONS: Assist local governments in the preparation of grant/loan for funding of projects of local and regional concern.

1. ECIA staff regularly prepare grant applications and loan applications for CDBG projects such as water, sewer, community centers, child care centers, etc. Asked Mark.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. CDBG – public works: The following projects were applied for and submitted on behalf of the cities: • Clinton sewer separation project – funded in 2015 – Total budget $1,568,462 ($600K+ $968 local) – Project compete • Sabula – water and sewer system improvements –funded 2016 – Total budget $992,750 ($300K + $692,750 local) • Lowden – wastewater plant improvements – not funded – will reapply for 2017 funding – Budget to be determined • Preston – water system improvements – not funded - Total budget $410,300 ($205K + $205,300 local) – On hold In addition to the above noted re-applications, St. Donatus will be submitting an application for wastewater treatment plant improvements for the 2017 round of applications – approx. Total budget $637,703 ($135K CDBG + $503K local) b. CDBG – housing rehabilitation: The following projects were applied for and submitted on behalf of the cities: • DeWitt – owner-occupied rehab – target 10 houses – funded in 2015 - total budget $405,000 ($395K + $10K local) Project complete • Lowden - owner-occupied rehab – target 6 houses – not funded – likely to reapply in future - total budget $251,000 ($245K + $6K local) • Maquoketa - owner-occupied rehab – target 6 houses – funded in 2016 - total budget $247,500 ($227K + $20K local) c. CDBG Community Facilities & Services: The following projects were applied for and submitted on behalf of the cities: • Clinton County – on behalf of Skyline Center – expansion of Day Habilitation Program facility – funded in 2016 – Total budget $2,400,000 ($800,000 + $1,600,000 local provided by Skyline Center) d. HOME Program – homeownership assistance: ECIA regionwide (except Dubuque County (has an open program) application – assist 3 homebuyers with provision of downpayment & rehab – Total budget $100,000 23

e. HMGP funds: Applied for Delaware County – Multijurisdictional Multi-Hazard Mitigation Planning grant – 2016 awarded, $22,500 + $7,500 local.

Difficulties The CDBG federal budget has been cut over the past ten years to the point where there is simply not enough funding available in the state program to fund all eligible and needed projects. The HMGP Program does not have adequate funding available to fund all planning grant applications.

2. ECIA staff regularly prepare applications for State economic development programs.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables Staff prepare applications to the Iowa DOT for financing of new streets into industrial parks through their RISE (Revitalize Iowa’s Sound Economy) grant program.

There were two RISE Grant projects in 2017. The City of Cascade and the City of Farley applied for and received RISE funds.

Difficulties Funding for the RISE program is only 50% of the project so the community must come up with 50% and that can be a challenge for many communities.

3. ECIA staff regularly prepare federal and state grant program applications for programs such as RISE, EPA Brownfield, USDA programs, and TIGER. ECIA staff will continue to pursue these grant programs annually for communities in the region.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. ECIA staff submitted and was awarded $1.2 million for a Department of Housing and Urban Development Lead Grant in 2017 for the City of Clinton (applicant) and the City of Maquoketa for a regional program to mitigate lead risks in the City. b. ECIA staff prepared and submitted the following grant applications for the Parks to People initiative in Dubuque, Jackson, and Jones Counties: DRA application requesting $15,000 for a bridge project in the City of Bellevue (fully awarded); REAP application requesting $75,000 for a trail project in the City of Bellevue (not awarded). c. ECIA staff submitted the following grant applications for the City of Maquoketa: Iowa Great Places application requesting $200,000 for the “Downtown Maquoketa Building Façade” program (pending); Deluxe Small Business Revolution application requesting $500,000 for their downtown (pending). d. ECIA staff was successful in obtaining a REAP grant for $100,000 for riverfront improvements in Manchester.

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e. ECIA staff was successful in obtaining RISE grants for Cascade for $93,750 and Farley for $337,030 for streets in their industrial parks. f. ECIA staff submitted an EDA Technical Assistance Grant for $40,000 for the City of Clinton for a comprehensive plan. g. ECIA staff did a cost-benefit analysis for the City of Dubuque TIGER grant application for round-abouts near the old Pack site. h. ECIA entered into the following contracts for fundraising/grant writing: Miracle League of Dubuque to build an all-inclusive baseball field and playground; Crescent Community Health Center for their relocation efforts to a new building which will need renovation.

Difficulties There were no unusual difficulties encountered.

4. ECIA staff regularly prepare and review private foundation grants for our member governments.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables ECIA Staff prepared and submitted grant applications to the following foundations: Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, Medical Associates Foundation, Allen Foundation, Roy J Carver Charitable Trust, McDonough Foundation, and the Wahlert Foundation.

Difficulties No difficulties encountered.

5. ECIA staff prepare Community Attraction and Tourism grant applications for communities. We anticipate 1 application per year for this funding.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables In 2016, the Iowa Economic Development Authority revised the Vision Iowa program and changed the name to Enhance Iowa. The Community Attraction and Tourism grant program essentially remained the same, with quarterly deadlines beginning in 2017. The Miracle League of Dubuque and the Dubuque Community Y are interested in applying but the grant program has become so competitive, the program officer stressed the importance of securing over 70% local match before applying.

Difficulties Applicants finding project match from varied resources; applicants willing to jump through the required hoops after grant submission.

E. DATA CENTER: Collect data and program information on economic development trends and 25

conditions including finance, labor, business development, industrial development, and the agricultural economy.

1. ECIA maintains data for grants and reports which is used in applications.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. ECIA regularly collects data in its transportation department for its mapping, model and grant related work. This data is readily available for all staff to utilize in their grant and loan related work. b. ECIA purchased IMPLAN data for the Prosperity Eastern Iowa and ECIA region to run and produce economic impact reports for the economic developers, cities and counties in the region in 2016. In 2017, two reports were completed using the IMPLAN software: City of Clinton and Jackson County Economic Development.

Difficulties Data is expensive and developing our own data dashboard would be expensive. It appears there are many sources of data and costs vary. Rather than developing our own tool as we originally wanted to pursue, partnering is more economical and efficient.

2. ECIA maintains the Location One Information System for the region to track the available sites and buildings through the Prosperity Eastern Iowa web site. This is updated on an ongoing basis.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. Prosperity Eastern Iowa members are responsible for updating their community sites and buildings, with ECIA staff providing the region wide statistics and community information. b. ECIA Regional Economic Development Coordinator periodically checks the sites and buildings in Location One and reports any errors to the regional PEI partners and ensures corrections are made if needed.

Difficulties There were no difficulties encountered.

3. ECIA works closely with Northeast Iowa Community College on economic development (NICC) projects and has access to EMSI data and can produce regional workforce data reports. ECIA anticipates requesting reports as needed from NICC in 2017 related to upcoming projects.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables No reports were requested in 2017.

Difficulties None at this time.

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4. ECIA and its Prosperity Eastern Iowa partners purchased IMPLAN data for the region and will utilize data to run economic impact reports for our members. We anticipate completing two reports for our members in 2017.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables ECIA provided two IMPLAN reports; one for the city of Clinton and one for Jackson County Economic Alliance.

Difficulties There were no difficulties encountered.

F. DEVELOPMENT STUDIES: Assist local governments and economic development entities in preparing Community Builder Plans.

1. ECIA staff will prepare strategic plans for development groups, chambers or cities in the upcoming year.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. ECIA staff worked with the Clinton County Library Association on creating an outside needs assessment and strategic plan. b. ECIA in partnership with the Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities (IISC) will be facilitating a visioning process with Cedar County, working toward Iowa Great Places designation.

Difficulties Other than getting people to come to public input sessions, ECIA has not encountered any difficulties.

2. ECIA has implemented a new program and are working with small communities and non-profits on feasibility plans for community and economic development projects. ECIA staff prepare feasibility studies for the community projects and provide oversight and assistance to communities in conducting their community-wide fundraising efforts for community projects. We plan to do two feasibility plans in 2017.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. ECIA has seen a greater interest in the fundraising initiative. The Miracle League of Dubuque signed a contract with ECIA and completed their feasibility study in 2017, and is pursuing a capital campaign. The Crescent Community Health Center signed a contract with ECIA and completed their feasibility study in 2017, and is pursuing a capital campaign.

Difficulties 27

Feasibility studies have become very popular throughout the region with donor fatigue being a concern. There needs to be more coordinated efforts in the region to avoid this happening. People only have so much money to donate and only so much free time to give to a project. Asking people multiple times for multiple priorities can be very annoying to the donor. We have begun discussing a coordinating effort in Jackson County and hopes this happens in the other counties.

G. EASTERN IOWA RURAL UTILITIES, INC.: Provide technical assistance to local governments and coordinate with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) in the efforts to administer the 28E organization that provides water and sewer services to cities and rural residents. Asked Mark.

1. ECIA will continue work with counties in the region in the design and application plans for funding for unsewered-communities in the region.

2. ECIA staff will work to secure funding for staff and preliminary engineering costs to continue doing water and sewer projects in underserved communities.

H. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: Provide technical assistance to local governments, development corporations, chambers of commerce, businesses, and individuals, in the ongoing implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. ECIA has traditionally provided technical assistance to local governments via a Municipal Relations Coordinator and the Regional Economic Development Coordinator and has extended this to economic development technical assistance. The association will provide technical expertise in financing and deal packaging.

1. ECIA will assist with Tax Increment Financing in the region.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables Provided Economic Development Finance 101 to the elected officials and others in the region. Prosperity Eastern Iowa Hosted the region’s legislators to discuss uses of TIF. Difficulties None at this time 2. ECIA will assist in writing ordinances and in developing zoning plans.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables ECIA works with member communities in updating their city codes and individual ordinances every year, using a Model Code that is updated by an attorney. This year, staff assisted five communities with full city code updates, and wrote five individual ordinances.

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Difficulties None at this time.

3. ECIA will assist with RISE applications for roadways in to business parks.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables There were two RISE Grant projects in 2017. The City of Cascade and the City of Farley applied for and received RISE funds.

Difficulties None at this time.

4. ECIA will assist communities in preparing Urban Revitalization plans and Urban Renewal Plans.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables The Community Development and Transportation Planning departments did not do any Urban Renewal plans or comprehensive plans this year.

Difficulties With city and county budgets tight, completing these type of plans has been pushed back to later years. Cities do not have the resources to complete the plans as often as they would like to.

5. ECIA staff will continue to explore funding and programs to address the workforce shortage in the region.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a.

Prosperity Eastern Iowa obtained funding from the Iowa Economic Development Authority to provide business sponsorships for programming that addresses workforce challenges. b.

Prosperity Eastern Iowa obtained funding to provide “Business After School� workshops with local economic development partners. c.

Prosperity Eastern Iowa obtained funding to provide education to employers in regards to veteran recruitment. d.

ECIA staff is partnering with Blackhawk Hills Regional Council and submit an EDA Technical Assistance grant to conduct a regional freight study for the 8 counties in Illinois and Iowa in partnership with the Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Regional Planning Organization, and the Iowa and Illinois Department of Transportations. The application was approved on August 15, 2016 and the freight study is currently underway.

Difficulties 29

No difficulties at this time.

6. ECIA staff will continue to explore funding options to develop a pocket neighborhood in the region to develop a replicable model in the region and to address the workforce housing needs of the region.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a.

ECIA staff continued to work with the City of Maquoketa and Jackson County Economic Alliance on the Pocket Neighborhood project. Found another potential site for the development and are exploring options. b.

Received two grants this year for preliminary project expenses and legal fees. Total grants were $12,000. c.

Toured and visited a pocket neighborhood in Grinnell, Iowa. It is a very similar project but houses are geared toward 100% of the CMI and above. Learned valuable information from the tour. d.

Talked with Cascade and with Dyersville about the pocket neighborhood concept. Cascade is interested in pursuing a development and is looking for land options.

Difficulties Pricing of land and homes continue to be the obstacle and keeping the costs down below $150,000 to maintain affordability for 100 and 80% of the CMI buyers.

7. ECIA staff will continue to explore funding options to address the derelict building needs of the region to secure resources for our member governments.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables ECIA staff worked with one community to apply for and receive Iowa Department of Natural Resources Derelict Building Grant Funds. Staff continues to meet with communities to address the derelict and nuisance building/properties that communities are dealing with and inform them of the resources available to deal with these types of properties. Staff attended trainings with Iowa League of Cities on this topic and held two regional brownfields workshop which discussed this issue in Maquoketa and Manchester.

Difficulties Several difficulties are encountered when dealing with derelict buildings in rural communities including the lack of funding for demolition, uncooperative property owners, unwillingness of communities to adopt and enforce nuisance laws, and lack of interest from private developers. ECIA continues to work with communities, state and federal agency staff, legislators and economic developers to find workable solutions for rural communities to address their derelict building issues.

8. ECIA will assist with EPA, IDNR and IDED Brownfield grant applications.

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Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. ECIA staff prepared and submitted a regional EPA Brownfields Assessment application in November 2015. ECIA was awarded $550,000 (beginning October 1, 2016) to assess brownfields properties throughout the region (with an emphasis on Jackson and Clinton Counties). b. ECIA staff prepared and was awarded one IDNR derelict building grant. c. ECIA staff continued to assist the city of Dubuque with their FY13 Assessment and FY15 Area-Wide Planning grants, and regularly provides guidance to economic development staff on brownfields issues and EPA reporting Difficulties Grants for brownfields are highly competitive and have different requirements for ownership and redevelopment depending on the program.

9. ECIA staff will continue to assist small communities under 500 population with utility billing and accounting services.

ECIA discontinued this service in 2017.

10. ECIA staff through the Prosperity Eastern Iowa entity will continue to provide expertise in web page design and optimization and developing and submitting proposals to leads and inquiries in the region.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables ECIA staff conduct training so the partners who need to can make updates to their website as needed. ECIA staff follows a lead protocol as outlined in the PEI Strategic Plan. ECIA emails all PEI leads when information is received from the State of Iowa on a potential lead and provides follow up as necessary.

Difficulties ECIA had to lay off their web designer in 2015 making it difficult to commit to future web site development.

Another issue is getting cities and economic development groups to pay for regular web site updates and for us to have the staff to get the work completed.

11. ECIA staff through its University of Iowa Sustainable Communities Grant program, will assist at least 5 rural communities with economic and community development related project in 2017.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. Assisted cities and/or organizations in Delmar, Lost Nation, Edgewood, Maquoketa and Preston: -Delmar storytelling and community development -Lost Nation downtown revitalization study 31

-Edgewood Historical Museum Project -Maquoketa Art Experience Marketing -Maquoketa Branding and Marketing -Preston Pocket Neighborhood Design b. Received a Brownfields inventory and prioritization software from second year master’s students in urban and regional planning. This software can be modified to fit other community needs, such as downtown revitalization site inventory. c. Continued the project for a second year to assist more communities and programs.

Difficulties Connecting University of Iowa programs/classes with community need can sometimes be a challenge.

12. ECIA staff will work closely with the transportation department and our Prosperity Eastern Iowa partners and our partners at Blackhawk Hills Regional Council, to conduct an eight-county freight study for the region in 2017.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables The freight study is currently underway and has an anticipated completion date of February, 2018.

Difficulties It has been a challenge to obtain one on one interviews from the project partners. ECIA and Blackhawk Hills Regional Council are working on ways to obtain the information needed, it’s just taking a longer amount of time than anticipated.

13. ECIA staff will work closely with the economic developers in the region and leadership in the small rural communities to implement the Regional Brownfields Assessment grant program.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a. Created a website and application for services. b. Issued an RFQ for an environmental consultant, conducted interviews, selected the consultant and is in the process of securing the contract. c. Developed and completed a project with University of Iowa graduate students to create a regional inventory and prioritization process for brownfields in the region. d. Held two regional brownfields workshops in partnership with the IDNR and Kansas State University Technical Assistance to Brownfields Communities program. e. Created outreach materials. f. Has submitted 17 requests for eligibility to the EPA and conducted 6 Phase I environmental assessments.

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Difficulties Educating the region to understand what a brownfield site is and when it is appropriate to conduct an environmental site assessment on a site.

I. PROSPERITY EASTERN IOWA COLLABORATIVE MARKETING: Administer and conduct the activities identified by the Prosperity Eastern Iowa Economic Development Partnership to further business retention and expansion in ECIA’s three of ECIA’s Counties, Dubuque, Delaware, Jackson and then Jones County. Key projects and activities that will be conducted include: 1. ECIA implemented the local industry business retention and expansion program and regional compiling of this data.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables ECIA provided business retention and expansion training to the PEI partners and compiles the number of synchronist calls made by partners to local businesses.

ECIA held a workforce event in Cascade, Iowa to discuss the needs and challenges of the businesses. Follow up meetings will be conducted.

Difficulties Since workforce continues to be an issue within the State of Iowa; businesses are finding it difficult to hire a sufficient amount of skilled workers to fill positions. In addition, many workers are lacking soft skills, unable to pass pre-requisites of the position (ie. drug test); or have other barriers to employment, such as child care or transportation issues.

2. Continue updating the regional websites: Buyer Supplier; Prosperity Eastern Iowa; Accessmyfuture.com; and Petal-project.com.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables The regional sites are updated as needed. A manufacturing trading post has been added to the Buyer Supplier website. This trading post is for manufacturers who are wanting to buy/sell products that are already in their inventory. ECIA staff continues to posts RFP’s from the City of Dubuque.

Difficulties It continues to be a challenge to have businesses use the Buyer/Supplier website. The Petal Project website is highly used as it provides a tool kit for businesses to use when becoming Petal certified.

3. Continue to seek partners and raise funds for the Prosperity efforts.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables PEI seeks partner funding on a yearly basis. PEI also applies for applicable grants through IEDA, EDA, USDA and other organizations to sustain its mission. Staff received grant funds from the Iowa Economic Development Authority in 2016. A grant from the USDA for a Rural Development Initiative was awarded in 2017. ECIA Staff 33

are working with ECIA member communities and the Prosperity Eastern Iowa members and providing training opportunities on economic development, community development, brownfields, etc.

PEI secured another Partner, the Clinton Regional Development Corporation, as a dues paying member.

Difficulties Budgets are tight for local economic development groups and at the state level which makes the grant process more competitive and maintaining membership and local match a concern.

4. Continue to partner with the NICC to produce reports using EMSI data as needed.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables ECIA works closely with Northeast Iowa Community College on economic development (NICC) projects and has access to EMSI data and can produce regional workforce data reports. In 2017, ECIA did not request any reports.

Difficulties No difficulties encountered.

5. Continue to work on workforce recruitment and retention strategies for the region to address the workforce shortage in the areas of advanced manufacturing, healthcare, over the road drivers, and technology.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables PEI partnered with the Jackson County Veteran’s Affairs office to recruit retiring military personnel through the Home-Based Iowa initiative. Resumes are collected and sent to employers from the military job fairs.

Difficulties The unemployment rate is so low in our region, that many employers cannot find suitable applicants.

6. Continue to promote and seek businesses to participate in the Petal Project sustainability program and green business program that can be incorporated into their daily business practices.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables The Petal Project has assisted 32 businesses in the community with improving and “greening� their daily business practices. There is an existing partnership with the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque and their Grants to Green program assisting non-profit agencies in the region to help non-profits become more energy efficient and provide technical assistance and possible funding to pursue energy efficient modifications to existing or planned buildings. Petal partners in educating the participating non-profits on sustainability.

PEI partnered with the University of Iowa Sustainable Communities in order to have the Petal Project criteria revamped.

Difficulties Continued funding for the Petal Project continues to be a challenge. Keeping companies engaged on an ongoing basis after they are certified is a challenge. The Grants to Green program has now ended.

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Disaster and Economic Recovery and Resiliency Measurable Progress Disaster Resiliency The ECIA region is committed to being a resilient region with respect to disaster mitigation and preparedness.

Disasters know no boundaries and cast an immediate need for cooperation and collaboration across city and county borders. There has to be an integration of responses and resources to support those areas that have weak capacity. ECIA coordinates with county governments as lead jurisdictions and local emergency management coordinators and will ensure that all jurisdictions, including school districts, participate. ECIA assists cities in implementing plan recommendations in current planning processes and evaluating the effectiveness of those actions and overall planning process. Multi-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plans (MJHMP) have been completed for all counties in the ECIA region. A multi-jurisdictional plan is important because it: offers an opportunity to cooperate on mutual concerns; allows economies of scale by leveraging individual capabilities and sharing costs and resources; avoids duplication of efforts; and imposes an external discipline on the process. The multi-jurisdictional plans for each county within the ECIA region can be found on the ECIA website at www.ecia.org/resiliency.

In 2017, the ECIA region was very fortunate and did not experience flooding or disasters related to floods.

However, we had one strong wind storm that caused damage in Dubuque County and had one designation for Dubuque County related to a July, 2017 storm. Due the heightened awareness and the hazard mitigation plans adopted by each jurisdiction in the ECA region, the damage was minimal and the residents were prepared.

Regional Implementation Strategy This strategy for governments and business is a resource to utilize before and after a disaster. The Strategy is used as a guiding process and resource document for those wishing to perform pre-disaster planning and postdisaster recovery. Revisiting the Strategy will be done throughout the course of the five-year CEDS to reflect changing resources, potential disaster scenarios and general government and business landscapes. The Regional Implementation Strategy is intended to serve as a framework for ongoing recovery and mitigation activities. The goals and objectives of the regional strategy are as follows: Goal 1: Increase capabilities within the region to mitigate the effects of hazards by enhancing existing or designing and adopting new policies that will reduce the damaging effects of hazards.

1.1. Reduce repetitive property losses due to flood, wildfire, winter storms, and other hazards.

1.2. Protect critical facilities, infrastructure, and utility systems.

1.3. Improve the integrity and resiliency of infrastructure within the region by applying for funding for previously identified recovery and mitigation projects. These projects include road repair, the enhancement of back-up generators, storm and sanitary sewer systems, wastewater treatment facilities, power transmission, among others.

1.4. Encourage the incorporation of mitigation measures into repairs, redevelopment, and capital improvement projects for governments, businesses, education institutions, and the public.

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1.5.

1.6.

1.7.

Identify funding opportunities for future mitigation measures.

Prepare and Update of Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plans.

Encourage local governments and community school districts to pursue FEMA Funding for safe rooms at public facilities.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables All of the above strategies are addressed in the ECIA region countywide, Multi-Jurisdictional Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plans. The plans identify potential hazards, identify and map critical facilities, identify projects to address and mitigate damages from hazards and apply for funding when appropriate for projects. Local governments incorporate mitigation measures and emergency responses into their local policies and implement projects whenever feasible.

Difficulties HMGP funding is limited and may delay the updates of some plans in a timely manner. Without an approved plan, communities are not eligible for FEMA funding for HMGP projects. The HUD competition will be extremely competitive for a limited amount of available funding.

Goal 2: Protect the most vulnerable populations, buildings, and critical facilities within the region through the implementation of cost effective and technically feasible mitigation projects.

2.1. Educate property and business owners on affordable mitigation and preparedness measures that can be taken to reduce property loss.

2.2. Assure that vulnerable buildings and critical facilities within the region are identified and cataloged, and that vulnerability assessments are completed for each identified facility.

2.3. Assure that vulnerable populations such as the elderly, homeless, low income or those with limited English proficiency are included in educational programs regarding preparedness or mitigation.

2.4. Enhance the capabilities to collect, analyze, update, and exchange data and information to support risk assessment and mitigation needs.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables Current Multi-Jurisdictional, Multi-Hazard Mitigation plans included components to educate the public regarding potential hazards and opportunities to make properties resilient to disasters. Vulnerable populations were identified and locations documented to allow for contacts and assistance as may be necessary following disasters.

Difficulties Current Multi-Jurisdictional, Multi-Hazard Mitigation plans completed over the past three-four years.

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Goal 3: Continue to replace and protect housing stock damaged and lost by 2008 and 2011 flooding.

3.1. Encourage local governments and private developers to partner to construct new affordable single family housing in the region. ECIA over the last five years has worked with its local governments and the Iowa Economic Development Authority through their New Production program to replace lost housing in the region. Over 175 new homes have been constructed throughout the five county region. ECIA over the last five years has worked with local governments and the Iowa Economic Development Authority through their New Production Multi- Family housing program to replace lost rental housing in the region. Over 100 new rentals have been developed. ECIA will continue to encourage local governments and private developers to partner to in the construction of new affordable rental housing in the region.

3.2. Promote the Eastern Iowa Regional Housing Corporation’s Housing Trust Fund program to private developers, cities, counties and local citizens. The mission of the EIRHC Housing Trust Fund is to assist in the provision of providing decent, safe and affordable housing, as well as providing access to the resources for creating housing opportunities to the families served in eastern Iowa. The emphasis is to provide economic assistance to benefit the low, very low, and extremely low-income residents of Dubuque, Delaware, Jackson, Cedar and Clinton Counties for a variety of housing needs. Funding priorities for the Housing Trust fund include: Lead Hazard Remediation; Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation Activities; Emergency (Transitional) Housing and Special Needs Housing; Infrastructure, Lot Development, New/ Rehab Construction, including rental rehabilitation; and Down Payment Assistance/ Ownership Preservation.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables - please get this info from Carl. 11/13/17: Emailed Carl The Eastern Iowa Regional Housing Corporation HTF was awarded $326,554 from the Iowa Finance Authority in 2016 to create or preserve housing for LMI individuals, and to promote homeownership opportunities. The 2016 funds will be used to Rehabilitate 16 rental properties, create 19 new owner occupied affordable homes, preserve 4 existing owner-occupied housing units, and to promote 1 new homeownership opportunity.

In 2016 the Housing Trust Fund awarded $ 326,554.00 to the following Agencies; City of DeWitt – City-wide down payment assistance for five households City of DeWitt – City rental rehabilitation program for 14 households Habitat for Humanity – Housing Development for 6 households La Casa Maquoketa – Rental Development – 4 units Delaware County – Homeownership for 2 households Delaware and Dubuque County – Owner occupied rehab roof replacement 2 households

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In 2016 the Housing Trust Fund submitted the 2017 application requesting an additional $312,329 from the Iowa Finance Authority to create or preserve 88 housing units for LMI individuals, and to promote 8 new homeownership opportunities.

The 2017 projects included in the 2016 application include: $5,000.00 - EIRHA – Down Payment Assistance $60,000.00 – City of Goose Lake, Owner-Occupied Rehab $131,815.00 – DAC, Rental Rehab $64,917.00 – ECIA, Housing Development $10,080.00 – La Casa, Rental Development $9,375.00 – Manchester Chamber, Rental Rehab Difficulties The Housing Trust Fund‘s 2016 application for the 2017 funding round, we had to eliminate or put on hold 10 other agencies or homeowners applications, that applied for funding, but because of Funding Limitation, we will not be able to assist. Another issue is there is no State funding available any longer for new production housing with down payment assistance. The program was funded with 2008 Federal Flood funding and the funds are depleted making it difficult to fund workforce housing in the region.

Goal 4: Improve the resiliency of the private sector to disaster situations 4.1. Promote business continuity planning and maintain resources and example plans for interested businesses through ECIA Business Growth Inc., local Chambers of Commerce and Economic Development Corporations.

4.2. Promote Business Continuity and Continuity of Operations planning to critical assets and major employers identified in the Hazard Mitigation Planning process.

4.3 Promote economic diversification regionally to insulate the region from economic disasters and difficult times.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables Provided loans to businesses to assist them with expansions that will diversify their customers bases and the number and variety of suppliers. The Board of Directors of E.C.I.A. Business Growth, Inc. approved 10 loans to nine businesses totaling $3,547,500. This will result in the creation of 111 new jobs and the retention of 17 jobs.

One loan was an Energy Efficiency loan, which will reduce the company’s electrical consumption, thus improving its viability and continuity.

Difficulties None at this time.

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Goal 5: Improve the level of responder, government, business, and citizen awareness and preparedness for disaster.

5.1. Identify and develop needed training and exercises for targeted responder, government and citizen audiences.

5.2. Strengthen outreach and partnerships with the private sector, nonprofit organizations and the public.

5.3. Improve public understanding of hazards and risk by providing public awareness, preparedness, and mitigation information through various channels of communication.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables Current Multi-Jurisdictional, Multi-Hazard Mitigation plans included components to educate the public regarding potential hazards and opportunities to make properties resilient to disasters. Vulnerable populations were identified and locations documented to allow for contacts and assistance as may be necessary following disasters.

Difficulties No difficulties were encountered Goal 6: Develop programs to assure that response agencies, governments, educational institutions, and local businesses are able to operate during times of disaster.

6.1. Promote the development of emergency response plans, including continuity of operations plans, among local response agencies, governments, educational institutions and local businesses.

6.2. Provide education, training, and exercise opportunities for local entities to prepare for and test their ability to operate during times of disaster.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables Current Multi-Jurisdictional, Multi-Hazard Mitigation plans included components to educate the public regarding potential hazards and opportunities to make properties resilient to disasters. Vulnerable populations were identified and locations documented to allow for contacts and assistance as may be necessary following disasters. We have been fortunate in 2016 that we have not had any disasters.

Difficulties No difficulties were encountered.

Goal 7: Coordinate a multi-jurisdictional approach to integrate hazard mitigation and land use planning.

7.1. Create maps to identify hazardous areas.

7.2. Incorporate hazard mitigation into zoning, subdivision, and building codes where applicable.

7.3. Develop policies and ordinances to steer development away from hazardous areas.

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7.4.

7.5.

7.6.

7.7.

Review land for potential hazards before subdivision approval.

Consider providing incentives for building in non-hazardous areas.

Preserve and enhance protective features of the natural environment including wetlands, vegetation on steep slopes, and other natural areas that promote ground water infiltration.

Retrofit buildings and facilities at risk in redeveloping areas.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables Multi-Jurisdictional, Multi-Hazard Mitigation plans are incorporated into land use planning by local governments. Development in potential hazard areas (e.g. – floodplains) are discouraged. The plans include the identification of floodplains and critical facilities that must be protected in any development efforts.

Difficulties No difficulties were encountered Goal 8: Coordinate future transportation plans with appropriate hazard mitigation plans.

8.1. Prioritize which roads and bridges that shall remain passable during an emergency or evacuation.

8.2. Identify alternative routes if prioritized roads and bridges become impassible.

8.4. Establish ongoing means of redundant communication with fire, sheriff, and police departments and the County Emergency Management Agency to ensure sharing of crime and security information among all concerned.

8.5. Work with public safety agencies including law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services, and emergency management regarding security and emergency preparedness plans.

8.6. Define transit system’s role in non-transit emergencies.

8.7. Review evacuation plans in the region, focusing on transit security plans.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables • Multi-Jurisdictional, Multi-Hazard Mitigation plans are incorporated into land use planning by local governments. Development in potential hazard areas (e.g. – floodplains) are discouraged. The plans include the identification of floodplains and critical facilities that must be protected in any development efforts.

• Hazard mitigation plans are included in Dubuque County Regional Comprehensive Plan • Hazard mitigation plans are included in Long Range transportation Plans for Dubuque Metro and Regional Planning Affiliation 8 • Transportation Staff works with Multi-Disciplinary Safety Teams (MDST) in Dubuque and Clinton and address hazard mitigation planning process.

• Staff will coordinate with MDST groups when updating the Hazard Mitigation plans 40

•

Transportation Staff meets with MDST group every two months to address Safety, Security and Hazard Mitigation issues

Difficulties Staff takes into consideration Hazard Mitigations issues while ranking transportation project but it is hard to quantify the impact.

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ECIA GOVERNING BOARD MEMBERSHIP ROSTER 1. GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES Elected officials and/or employees of a general purpose unit of state, local or Indian tribal government who have been appointed to represent the government.

Name

Government

Position

Brad Gaul

Cedar Co. Supervisor

Supervisor

Tom Determann

Clinton Co. Supervisor

Supervisor

Don Thiltgen

City of DeWitt

Mayor

Milt Kramer

City of Manchester

Mayor

Linda Gaul

City of Earlville

City Clerk

Jeff Madlom

Delaware Co Supervisor

Supervisor

Dave Baker

Dubuque Co Supervisor

Supervisor

Ray Stephan

City of Peosta

City Council

Beth Bonz

City of Asbury

City Administrator

Mike Van Milligen

City of Dubuque

City Manager

Paul Konrardy

City of LaMotte

Mayor

Peggy Sellnau

City of Charlotte

Mayor

Mark Vulich

City of Clinton

Mayor

Jeff Kaufmann

Cedar Co Supervisor

Supervisor

Brian Wagner

City of Tipton

City Manager

Jay Wickham

Dubuque Co Supervisor

Supervisor

Jack Willey

Jackson Co Supervisor

Supervisor

Gerald Smith

City of Maquoketa

City Manager

Loras Herrig

City of Bellevue

City Manager

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Female

X

X

X

Minority

2. NON-GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES Private Sector and Stakeholder Representatives: Community leaders, representatives of workforce development boards, institutions of higher education, minority and labor groups, and private individuals.

Name

Company / Enterprise

Position

Female

Dave Gaylor

Dubuque Bank & Trust

Senior Credit Officer

Bill Rediger

Eastern IA Develpmnt Co

President

Shannon Sander-Welzien

YWCA Clinton

Executive Director

X

Roy Buol

Delaware Co Econ Develop

President

X

Jim Vermazen

University of Dubuque

Dir Facilities Mgmt

Reg. Workforce Board, Region 1

Board Member (Executive)

Edgewood Chamber

Director

Preston Growth & Develop.

President

EICC-Clinton Co College

Associate Director

Jackson Co Economic Dev.

Director

Ag Business Owner

Owner

Maquoketa St Bk/City Council

First VP/Council Member

Minority

Donna Boss

Elise Bergan Patti Hoffman Tim Cottle Dave Heiar Shirley Helmrichs Amy Moore

Rod Ness Derek Olberding

Cedar Co Econ Development

X X

X X

Executive Director

Fidelity Bank

Asst Vice President

ALTERNATES - GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES Name

Company/Enterprise

Position

Steve Lindner

City of DeWitt

City Administrator

Timothy Vick

City of Maquoketa

City Manager

Judy Carr

City of Maquoketa

City Clerk

Larry McDeVitt

Jackson Co Sup.

Supervisor

Don Recker

City of Sageville

Mayor

Nick Hockenberry Jackson Co ED

Female

Minority

X

Assistant Director

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CALCULATIONS Number

Percent

1. Government Representatives (51-65%)

19

58%

2. Non- Government Representatives (35-49%)

14

42%

Total Board Membership

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100%

APPLICABLE REGULATIONS– December 19, 2014 13 CFR Part 304.2(c): (2) The District Organization must demonstrate that its governing body is

broadly representative of the principal economic interests of the Region, including the private sector, public officials, community leaders, representatives of workforce development boards, institutions of higher education, minority and labor groups, and private individuals. In addition, the governing body must demonstrate the capacity to implement the EDA-approved CEDS.

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FY 2018 SCOPE OF WORK – January 2018 to December 2018

Grantee:

East Central Intergovernmental Association

Project Number: 05-83-04375-02

EDA Planning funds will support the implementation of an Economic Development program designed to create and retain jobs throughout the region. An updated five-year Economic Development Strategy was adopted for the region beginning January, 2015 and runs through December, 2019. ECIA intends to perform the following activities as part of our annual EDA Planning Grant:

A. LOCAL GOVERNMENT MEETINGS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROUP MEETINGS: ECIA staff regularly attends meetings of local governments and local economic development groups to provide information and facilitate program implementation.

1. ECIA participates and sits on the Board of the Greater Dubuque Development Corporation and attends their regular board meetings at least quarterly.

2. ECIA facilitates are county-wide economic development group in Clinton County and will participate in at least six meetings this year.

3. ECIA facilitates a county-wide Mayors group in Clinton County and will participate in at least four meetings this year.

4. ECIA staff has joined efforts with the Keep Iowa Beautiful Hometown Pride program in Clinton County and will participate in the county-wide steering committee and meet six times a year to move forward community economic development projects.

5. ECIA staff regularly hosts and participates in City Clerk meetings in Delaware, Dubuque and Cedar Counties. ECIA hosts one meeting a year of the regional city clerks.

6. ECIA staff regularly attends and acts as the secretary for the Jackson County Mayors. Meetings are held monthly in Jackson County. ECIA attends and participates in the Mayors monthly meetings in Cedar County.

7. ECIA staff will continue with regular roundtable discussions within each county in 2018 on an annual basis with ED groups, Clerks, Mayors and Boards of Supervisors to discuss potential projects, needs for their county, etc.

8. ECIA staff will finalize a regional freight study in 2018 and will develop an implementation committee to ensure the freight study priorities continue to move forward and make progress and to secure funding for priority projects. ECIA staff expects to participate in at least four meetings this year.

9. ECIA holds six meetings a year with Prosperity Eastern Iowa local economic developers. ECIA provides staff for their regional economic development efforts.

10. ECIA ED staff to meet with GDDC and Start-Up Dubuque staff on a monthly basis to discuss local and regional ED projects related to retention and expansion of local businesses.

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11. ECIA staff participates in the Grant Wood Loop Parks to People Community and Economic Development initiative in Jackson, Dubuque and Jones Counties. This group meets at least every other month and ECIA provides staffing support for their efforts including ECIA staff acting as a community coach in Dubuque County for the Keep Iowa Beautiful Hometown Pride program for the Grant Wood Loop.

12. ECIA staff participates in the City of Dubuque’s Project Hope meetings. The group is focused on defining poverty in the Dubuque area and finding solutions to the barriers that people experience in finding and maintaining long term employment. The group meets six times a year.

13. ECIA staff participates in the DubuqueWorks, Opportunity Dubuque, and the Re-Engagement Center committees. The three groups are focused on workforce solutions for the Dubuque area. The groups meet monthly and quarterly.

14. ECIA staff will hold trainings pertinent to local government priorities through the USDA RCDI grant funding. Trainings to local governments include topics such as Tax Abatement, Housing Finance, Economic Development Deal structuring, web site design, Community Outreach and Participation, Capital Improvement planning, Entrepreneurship, Budgeting, etc. ECIA anticipates holding 6 events in 2018.

B. TRAINING AND CONFERENCE: Attend and participate in meetings of national, state, and local organizations affecting regional strategy policies and programs.

1. ECIA staff will continue to participate in the annual trip of the Clinton and the Dubuque communities to meet with federal officials concerning local needs. Trips are scheduled for February and May, 2018.

2. ECIA staff will attend the Iowa League of Cities meeting.

3. ECIA staff will attend Iowa DNR meetings in Des Moines.

4. ECIA staff will attend regional and national meeting hosted by the EDA. 5. ECIA staff will attend two national meetings - either NADO, NARC, NADCO or the IEDC meetings.

6. ECIA staff will attend training related to local government finance and municipal finance.

C. INFORMATION DISSEMINATION: Disseminate census, economic, statistical and program information by telephone, e-mail, letter, newsletter, personal contact, and training programs. Maintain a database for use in program development and implementation.

1. ECIA staff prepares six e-newsletters and six e-grant alerts each year that is emailed out to over 800 individuals and/or entities in the region and archived on our website.

2. ECIA staff maintains the websites for ECIA, Prosperity Eastern Iowa, the Regional Transit Authority, and the Eastern Iowa Regional Housing Authority/Corporation and the Eastern Iowa Regional Utility Service Systems, Buyers Supplier Connection, Petal Project, Dubuque Metropolitan Transportation Study, and Accessmyfuture.com.

3. ECIA staff responds to approximately 150-200 requests for information each year pertaining to grant applications, TIF districts, enterprise zone, city finance, business loan programs, ordinances, etc.

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4. ECIA staff participates in local, regional and national meetings discussing programs, projects and successes in our region related to economic and community development.

D. GRANT/LOAN APPLICATIONS: Assist local governments in the preparation of grant/loan applications for funding of projects of local and regional concern.

1. ECIA staff regularly prepare grant applications and loan applications for CDBG projects such as water, sewer, community centers, child care centers, etc.

2. ECIA staff regularly prepare applications for State economic development programs.

3. ECIA staff regularly prepare federal and state grant program applications for programs such as RISE, EPA Brownfield, USDA programs, and TIGER. ECIA staff will continue to pursue these grant programs annually for communities in the region.

4. ECIA staff regularly prepare and review state, federal, local and private foundation grants for our member governments.

5. ECIA staff prepare Community Attraction and Tourism grant applications for communities. We anticipate 1 application per year for this funding.

E. DATA CENTER: Collect data and program information on economic development trends and conditions including finance, labor, business development, industrial development, and the agricultural economy.

1. ECIA maintains data for grants and reports which is used in applications.

2. ECIA maintains the Location One Information System for the region to track the available sites and buildings through the Prosperity Eastern Iowa web site. This is updated on an ongoing basis.

3. ECIA works closely with Northeast Iowa Community College on economic development (NICC) projects and has access to EMSI data and can produce regional workforce data reports. ECIA anticipates requesting at least two reports from NICC in 2018 related to upcoming projects.

4. ECIA is working with its Prosperity Eastern Iowa partners to utilize IMPLAN data for the region to run economic impact reports for our members. We anticipate completing two reports for our members in 2018.

F. DEVELOPMENT STUDIES: Assist local governments and economic development entities in preparing Community Plans.

1. ECIA staff will prepare strategic plans for development groups, chambers or cities in the upcoming year.

2. ECIA has implemented a new program and are working with small communities and no-profits on feasibility plans for community and economic development projects. ECIA staff prepare feasibility studies for the community projects and provide oversight and assistance to communities in conducting their community-wide fundraising efforts for community projects. We plan to do two feasibility plans in 2018.

3. ECIA staff work closely with local governments in preparing Comprehensive Plans, Economic 47

Development Plans, Housing Needs Assessments, etc. We plan to do at least two plans in 2018.

G. EASTERN IOWA RURAL UTILITIES, INC.: Provide technical assistance to local governments and coordinate with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) in the efforts to administer the 28E organization that provides water and sewer services to cities and rural residents.

1. ECIA will continue work with counties in the region in the design and application plans for funding for unsewered communities in the region.

2. ECIA will continue to look for funding opportunities to support staff time and preliminary engineering work for potential sewer and water projects in underserved communities.

H. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: Provide technical assistance to local governments, development corporations, chambers of commerce, businesses, and individuals, in the ongoing implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. ECIA has traditionally provided technical assistance to local governments via a Municipal Relations Coordinator and the Regional Economic Development Coordinator and has extended this to economic development technical assistance. The association will provide technical expertise in financing and deal packaging.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

ECIA will assist with Tax Increment Financing in the region.

ECIA will assist in writing ordinances and in developing zoning plans.

ECIA will assist with RISE applications for roadways in to business parks.

ECIA will assist communities in preparing Urban Revitalization plans and Urban Renewal Plans.

ECIA staff will continue to explore funding and programs to address the workforce shortage in the region.

ECIA staff will continue to explore funding options to develop a pocket neighborhood in the region to develop a replicable model in the region and to address the workforce housing needs of the region.

ECIA staff will continue to explore funding options to address the derelict building needs of the region to secure resources for our member governments.

ECIA will assist with EPA, IDNR and IDED Brownfield grant applications.

ECIA staff through the Prosperity Eastern Iowa entity will continue to provide expertise developing and submitting proposals to leads and inquiries in the region and providing technical assistance to the economic development partners in the region.

I. PROSPERITY EASTERN IOWA COLLABORATIVE MARKETING: Administer and conduct the activities identified by the Prosperity Eastern Iowa Economic Development Partnership to further business retention and expansion in ECIA’s three of ECIA’s Counties, Dubuque, Delaware, Jackson and then Jones County. Key projects and activities that will be conducted include:

1. ECIA implemented the local industry business retention and expansion program and regional compiling of this data 2. Continue updating the regional websites, Prosperity Eastern Iowa 48

3. Continue to seek partners and raise funds for the Prosperity priorities and projects 4. Continue to partner with the NICC to produce reports using EMSI data.

5. Continue to work on workforce recruitment and retention strategies for the region to address the workforce shortage in the areas of advanced manufacturing, healthcare, over the road drivers, and technology.

6. Provide training opportunities to the Prosperity partners through the USDA RCDI grant in economic development priorities and tools. Anticipate holding at least 6 trainings in 2018.

(Then the Appendix – Evaluation of Progress – multiple pages, with charts/graphs of data that Holly usually works on with Dylan) (For this year - 2017, it will include the specific projects from the spreadsheets.)

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